Just a day after the announcement by the district unit of the Gazipur Jatiya Party that it would support BNP backed candidate in the ensuing mayoral poll of the Gazipur City Corporation, party chairman HM Ershad on Thursday extended his support to the AL backed candidate. However, defying Ershad’s announcement most of the workers and leaders of the JP in Gazipur are engaged in campaign for BNP-backed candidate Professor MA Mannan.
In a hurriedly called press conference in the city Ershad said, the Jatiya Party is announcing its support to grand alliance backed- candidate Ajmat Ullah Khan to remove the confusions, which has been created over Gazipur City Corporation (GCC) election.
Defending his decision Ershad said, as a component of the Awami League-led grand alliance, Jatiya Party will work for Ajmat,” Ershad said.
He asked his party leaders, workers to start campaign in favour of Ajmat Ullah Khan in the polls to be held on July 6.
The announcement of the JP chief apparently made no effect on the Gazipur unit of the JP as till filing of the report at 9 pm, they were seen working for BNP backed candidate.
Secretary of Gazipur unit of JP Nurul Islam told the media that they were working for Mannan.
Preferring anonymity some leaders of local JP said that their chairman might have changed his position under pressure and that is why they were not taking the announcement seriously.
Both the candidates of the AL and BNP met Ershad to seek his support after JP Presidium member and president of party’s Gazipur districts unit Brig Gen (retd) Kazi Mahmud Hasan withdrew his candidature.
Both of the them claimed that they got Ershad’s blessings though Ershad did not say anything publicly regarding his support.
On Wednesday, Gazipur unit of JP through a press conference said that they would extend their support to the BNP backed candidate and their workers had already started campaign for him.
-with The Independent input
